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People gather at the scene of a car bomb explosion, at the central market, in Maiduguri, Nigeria, Wednesday, July 2, 2014. A car bomb in a marketplace in Maiduguri, the northeast Nigerian city that is the birthplace of Boko Haram extremism, killed at least 56 people on Tuesday, the leader of a civilian group that recovered the bodies said.

Image: Jossy Ola/Associated Press

By The Associated Press2014-07-27 15:57:46 UTC

YAOUNDE, Cameroon — A government spokesperson said Boko Haram fighters kidnapped the wife of Cameroon's vice prime minister in an attack that also resulted in multiple deaths.

Communications Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary said the attack occurred early Sunday morning in the town of Kolofata, in the Far North Region. He said the fighters targeted the home of Vice Prime Minister Amadou Ali, as well as a local traditional chief.

Bakary could not provide the exact numbers of people killed and kidnapped because he was still gathering information about the attack. However, he confirmed that Ali's wife was among those kidnapped.

Cameroon's government has become increasingly involved in regional efforts to combat Boko Haram, despite warnings from the armed group to stay out of its fight with the Nigerian military, or risk further attacks.

The hashtag #BringBackOurGirls, part of a global campaign to bring home the missing girls, became popular in response to the kidnappings. Even U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama joined the effort by tweeting a photo of herself holding a sign with the hashtag written on it.

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